[Archived] Upper tiers

[Davenport Nice]

This is probably the least of our worries at the moment, but should we ever reach a sitution where we are getting regular 15,000 crowds (as was probably the case yesterday), then we've really got to think about shutting the upper tiers.

The atmos was weary, eery and echoey yesterday. By shutting the upper tiers, at least the capacity would in effect be 25,000, and feel less empty with the fans that are there, being closer to the pitch.

PS if only we could wheel the Riverside closer to the pitch and angle it steeper! - to keep any atmos in.

[modes98]

I think that is a long way off yet, but other clubs such as Forest have done it.

[Davenport Nice]

Hopefully it is a way off yet. However, I'd even argue that it's worth considering even now, given we rarely get 25,000.

A big part of football is the 'feel' of being at a game. Yesterday was soulless, although there are obviously specific reasons for that.

[92er]

I hope you're suggesting the JW Upper might be closed-I guess the club wouldn't want to close that area as they are the most expensive tickets.

[Tom]

I think the top tier of the BBE has to stay open for the families who want their chidren protecting from some of the more choice language, maybe an increase in free tickets to schools could be considered but it's striking a balance between attracting people and cheapining the product beyond repair.

[Mike Graham]

Davenport, I guessed that the gate was also around 15,000. How did they count 22,000 is beyond me. I must say how impressed I was with the good turn out from Wham...it put us to shame.

I get yiour point though. We should have put the Wham fans in the bottom of the Darren end , next to the Rovers fans, and also close the Jack Walker Upper Tier toward the Darren End.

[Mattyblue]

They obviously count tickets sold, not attendance.

[OhmiBRFC]

Loads of people were on the BBE concourse.

[Exiled_Rover]

Davenport, I guessed that the gate was also around 15,000. How did they count 22,000 is beyond me. I must say how impressed I was with the good turn out from Wham...it put us to shame.

I get yiour point though. We should have put the Wham fans in the bottom of the Darren end , next to the Rovers fans, and also close the Jack Walker Upper Tier toward the Darren End.

How did it put us to shame?

[The Gull]

I'm sorry but there were many factors affecting the attendance on Saturday, most of them involved peoples concerns about the saftety of themselves and their families.

Saturday was also the last Saturday before Christmas, notoriously poor attendances always happen on that day around the country, mainly down to the better halves saying not today fellow as you are carrying my bags around the shops.

So, we have the wors weather conditions in memory, it's the last Saturday before Christmas, add to that what has been a hard week to get you head round, attendance was never going to be average, plus we were playing a team we have a terrible record against and they are bottom of the league!

You are right, lets close half the stadium...............oh oh actually............lets just move out of Ewood to Darwen FC because we could fill that evwery week!

I apologise if I have over reacted, but come on FFS!

[Mattyblue]

I agree Gull, end of the day 22000 tickets were sold, not at all bad for the last game before Xmas. Obviously a fair few season ticket holders decided against taking on the elements, not much more to it really.

[Ben-2000]

I think people are forgetting the gates of under 20,000 we were getting a few years back.

If it wasn't for the weather there would have been more on obviously - the club does count attendance rather than tickets sold.

Last years average was 25k, we might get a little under that this year but not enough to say ''let's start closing parts of the ground''!

[cruz]

There were factors why the atmosphere was flat

There are certai sections who seem to remember Fat Sam as some kind of footballing messiah and were grumbling at Kean before the poor guy had even had time to do anything. The same morons who have called for two strikers for two years and then grumbled that the new man knew nothing because they thought he had started with two strikers

And secondly how could the atmosphere be anything other than flat when the temperature was minus godknowswhat and the players were playing like a collection of senile grandmothers

[cletus]

Three of us didn`t go on Saturday for differing reasons. I decided to work, because the Saturday before christmas is one of my busiest days of the year. The leg-iron had been on her 'works xmas doo' the night before & was in a near comatose state. Extreme hang-overs & minus temperatures do not mix well. Finally, the leg-irons son has been off school with a flu-like bug & he was going no-where.

Only a handfull of taxi firms were actually working on Saturday (10 drivers for my firm....when there`s usually 30+) & alot of the buses were cancelled too.

I picked up quite a few Rovers regulars who said "not today, xmas shopping" or words to that effect.

(btw...i had a very profitable day )

[cletus]

Closing the upper tiers of the BBE & DE for matches with expected lower attendances (under 25k...which is most of them) would make sense financially. The upper concourse food facilities would not have to be manned, nor would they need to be stewarded. This would save a bit of money in wages....but not much when compared to a players weekly wage.